Cup clash excites Gaffer

25 January 2014

Nigel Clough is under no illusions about the size of the task that stands between the Blades and a spot in the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Fulham come to Bramall Lane on Sunday lunchtime and with the BT Sport cameras here some pundits will be predicting an upset, but Clough says that could depend on how the Cottagers approach the fourth round clash.

The Gaffer, who believes his team will have to be near perfect to push Fulham all the way, remarked: "If you look through their squad you see people like Adel Taarabt, who hasn't featured at all this season and he would be classed as a star player in the Championship.

"So you've still got to deal with people like him if he plays and Berbatov and if he doesn't play Bent will, so let's not kid ourselves how difficult it will be.

"We have to be at our best and hope we can catch Fulham off guard a little, they have struggled away from home this season at times and that gives us hope if we are at our best from the first minute to the last.

"No matter what division you are in, if you're losing it affects confidence. Doubts always creep in when you're not winning matches, so it is down to us to seize the initiative quickly."